Three's the Charm
by veronica.toon.7
Summary: What if Vitani also met Kiara along with Kovu in LK2? What would happen? How would it go? How would it be different?


**Another Lion King what-if. This time its "What if Vitani met Kiara along with Kovu?" I hope you guys like it.**

**Disclaimer:**** I own nothing. The Lion King and all its characters, content, and references belong to Disney. I do not own the cover image either. It's called "Kovu and Vitani Tickle Fight" by HydraCarina(Nadra) on devianart. All rights go to them.**

**Enjoy the story!**

* * *

Two cubs leaped off the branch and onto the ledge just as the crocodiles below snapped it clean off. The two cubs, one male and one female, panted for a few moments before looking down at the crocodiles below. The crocodiles were all there, trying to climb up the vertical ledge, but unable to do so. The only thing they could do was pile onto each other and hiss at up above. The golden female's face grew into a wide grin.

"I did it. I did it," she joyfully cried. She then blew a raspberry at the water-loving reptiles beneath her, before backing away from the edge. The dark brown male yelled a joyous cry before also getting away from the drop. The two ran a few feet away and into a clearing in the tall grass. The golden female cub, with bright red eyes, started prancing around in the grass.

"Oh man. Did you see the size of those teeth? They were going rar, rar, rar, rar," she said, mimicking the scene that happened only mere seconds ago. Unbeknownst to both of them, a pair of eyes was watching them and listening from just a few feet away.

"And you were afraid right there, when I jumped on his head, and I got you so good. Whoo, we make such a good team. And you, you were really brave," the female said to the dark male. He looked unsure, but then smiled a bit.

"Yeah, you were brave too," he replied, sticking his chest out proudly. "My names Kovu," he introduced. She giggled and leans in close to him.

"I'm Kiara," she replied. Kovu seemed to get a little scared at her headstrong attitude. The shadow figure growled lightly at this behavior.

She then suddenly jumped up and hit his shoulder lightly with her paw. "Tag you're it," she said. Kovu didn't respond and looked weirdly at this. Kiara hits him again with her paw and pounces around. "Tag, you're it," she says again, giggling a bit. Still no change from Kovu. Kiara then walks over to him, looking at him confusedly.

"Hello. You run, I tag. Get it," she asked. Kovu just gave her a weird look. "What's the matter? Don't you know how to play," she asked. Her smiling face then turns into a frown as she realized her own statement. The mysterious figure in the brush then decided to make itself know.

"Well, we mostly train all day and we don't really have time for playing," the figure answered as it came into light from the hiding spot. A young lioness cub, with tan fur with a hair tuft. Her electric blue eyes focused on the two in front of her. The two gasped, both green and red eyes widening at the new visitor.

"Vitani," Kovu whispered, still appearing shocked. The new girl gave a small smile at him.

"Hey little brother. What are you doing over on these lands? Wasn't Nuka supposed to be watching you," she asked. Kovu just flattened his ears and looks down. Kiara was still confused and looked back and forth between them.

"Yes, well, um, he and I were playing hide and seek and so when he wasn't looking I snuck off and met Kiara and," he trailed off. Vitani sighed and looked up.

"Kovu, you know you're not supposed to do that. Don't you know you've could have been killed. And worst still, you put your friend over there in danger," Vitani said, pointing her paw at Kiara, who still watched the scene unfolding. Just then, she came up between the two.

"Hi, I'm Kiara. What's your name," Kiara asked as she walked over and sat right between the two. Vitani eyed her with confusion at her friendliness. Usually the standard Outlander greeting was just a growl, grunt, or you just ignored them, so this behavior was rarely seen by her.

"Um, hi. I'm Vitani. Kovu's older sister," she tentatively replied. Kiara smiled at her.

"Nice to meet you. Hey, why haven't I've seen you around here before? I don't think I've seen you before," she asked.

"Oh we don't live here. We live out there in the Outlands," Kovu explained. Vitani sighed and covered her face with her paw.

"Which we had better get back there soon if we don't want mother finding out we sneaked off into the Pridelands," she added. Kovu flinched at her statement.

"Aww Vitani, can't we stay a little bit longer," Kovu asked, frowning at the thought of leaving so early. Kiara didn't seem too happy about it either.

"Yes, can he stay just a little bit longer? I was just going to teach him how to play tag," Kiara begged, putting on cute, puppy dog eyes for her. Kovu looked at Kiara and then walked over to her and gave his sister the same eye look. It seemed to work since Vitani soon melted under the stare of pure cub cuteness.

"Ergh, fine! But on one condition," Vitani said. Kovu and Kiara leaned forward to hear it. Vitani then stuck her paw out and lightly tapped Kiara's pink nose.

"Tag, you're it," she said, running away laughing. Kiara looked stunned before grinning widely and tagging Kovu again.

"Tag, you're it Kovu. Come and catch us," she yelled from over her shoulder as she began running away from him. Kovu watched them in shock, but then caught on at the point of the game and begins chasing the girls. They squealed and began running faster.

* * *

Hours passed and the cubs kept having fun by playing games and getting to know one another better. Before any of them knew it, it was almost sunset. Kiara was the first one who noticed the daylight hours growing shorter.

"Hey, guys, it's getting late and I gotta get home before my dad worries and sends the entire pride looking for me," she said, causing the other two to stop playing for a minute and look at her. They then noticed the time it is now too.

"Yeah. Hey 'Tani. We'd better get heading back home soon before mother finds out we're gone," Kovu said. Vitani also saw that the sun beginning to set and she nodded.

"Ah rats. Hey Kiara, me and my little brother need to go home now. If our mother finds out we're gone without supervision she's going to freak and there's going to be trouble," Vitani explained. Kiara nodded in reply.

"I understand. My father's really overprotective of me so he'll be expecting me home soon," Kiara said.

"Yeah, well nice playing with you. See ya around," Kovu said, beginning to turn away with Vitani back home. Suddenly Kiara stopped them.

"Wait," she quickly blurted out. They cubs stopped and looked at her.

"Yeah," they asked. Kiara blushed and looked down at her paws.

"Uh, can I see you two tomorrow? Today was really fun and I thought it might be nice to have someone to play with. I don't have that many friends," she admitted. The two cubs remained silent for a moment before responding.

"Um, sure. If we can, we'll come back here tomorrow," Kovu answered. Vitani gave a skeptical, yet hopeful look. Kiara squealed with delight before she quickly ran over and put the two cubs in a hug.

"Oh thanks. I'll try to see if my dad can let me go on my own again so I can see you. Well, bye! Nice meeting you," Kiara said before running off. The two cubs looked at each other as Kiara ran off back home. The hug was unexpected, yet strangely nice. Then Vitani coughed and broke the silence.

"Well, c'mon Kovu. We don't want to keep mother waiting," she said to her younger sibling.

The two then walk over the log bridge, away from the lush lands, and into the barren, dusty place they called home. It was a really kind of depressing place. Before they headed to their pride, they washed off Kiara's scent off them in a small part of the river, so there brother wouldn't ask what happened today. Vitani found and pounced on a skinny, grey mouse, using it as a cover story. They would tell her mother that they were out hunting for food.

At least they wouldn't get that much of a punishment for ditching Nuka and going into the Pridelands all by themselves.

* * *

My home is just up ahead. I can see my father and mother with a few lioness at the edge of Pride Rock. I love my father and all, but man, sometimes he can be super over-protective. I washed off in the Watering Hole to get rid of Kovu's and Vitani's scent on me. They specifically asked me not to tell dad of them being in the Pridelands and as they are my new friends I will do as they say. Plus I don't want to lose them after knowing them after one day.

Mom and Dad noticed me coming up to Pride rock and so they race down towards me. Mom came up and nuzzled me while dad looked me directly in the eye.

"Kiara. You're alright," she said.

"Kiara, where have you've been? It's almost sunset," he says worriedly as Mom licked my fur clean.

"Yeah, _almost_ sunset. I got here exactly before you said I have to go home and I did," I replied, marveling at my own loophole-finding skills. Dad sighed and looked me over.

"Why is your fur wet then," he asked. A small wave of worry comes over me, but I quickly shrug it off and come up with something.

"Oh, I jumped in the Watering Hole after I went down the path you showed me because I was dusty and dirty," I answered. It's not a total lie. I really did go wash off at the Watering Hole because playing with Vitani and Kovu made me dirty.

"Hmm, well where did you go on your exploration adventures today, besides the Watering Hole," he asked. I am ready with my cover story.

"Well I played a bit in some trees on the path, and I got this really cool view of Pride Rock from them. Then I found a mud pit and made mud pies and drew pictures in the gooey, sticky mud. Then I found some elephants who sprayed me with sand from their dust baths. Then I went to the Watering Hole and got cleaned off and then I followed the path home," I tell my parents, trying to appear like I really did have fun on my adventures today. Thankfully, both my parents bought it.

"Well it sounds like you had quite an adventure today. Now c'mon it's time for all little princess' to go to bed," Dad said as he nuzzled my head.

"Aww dad. Can I stay up for five more minutes," I begged.

"Now, now Kiara. Mind your father. Maybe if you be nice to him for the rest of the evening, he'll let you go out on your own again tomorrow," Mom responded. I immediately perk up at the opportunity to see my new playmates again. I begin to yawn and cover my paw over my mouth.

"Oh, I am suddenly very tired. Race ya to bed," I say, losing the tired facade and rushing past my parents, up the steps, past the other pride members and into the cave. My parents chuckled at how easily it was to persuade me. My Mom then nuzzled my Dad's mane.

"She's seems awfully excited tonight. I wonder why," she said to Dad as they work their way up the stone steps.

"As long as she's safe and happy that is all that matters. She did exactly what I said and stayed away from the Outlands border and I'm glad she did. Zira seemed very enraged at her children's disappearance today," Dad replied to Mom.

"Simba, do you think we did the right thing by exiling the cubs as well as the rest of Scar's followers" she asked quietly as they enter the cave.

"I do not know exactly, but I know Zira was dead sent on raising them to follow in Scar's footsteps. And I must follow in my father's," Dad answered as he and Mom came up to me. I curled up in a ball on the floor with my eyes closed and fake snoring softly. Dad then grins and grabs me before hugging me with his arms. I struggle to get free from his grasp.

"Ahh! Dad! Let me go, let me go," I yelled as he rubbed my head affectionately before releasing me. I landed on my feet and tried to smooth my hair down.

"Aww, Dad. Mom, look what Dad did to my hairdo," I whine. Mom chuckles and then puts me in her arms and smooths my fur down back with her tongue. I lean into the warm licks. I think to myself of how I am so fortunate to have Mom bathe me every night. I begin to feel sleepy and I snuggle into my Mom's arms.

"Goodnight Mom. Goodnight Dad," I say tiredly as begin to fall asleep.

"Goodnight Kiara," both my parents say as we turn into for the night with the rest of the pride.

* * *

My sister and I race back to the termite mounds where Nuka should be waiting for mom to come home. We soon spot the reddish-beige lion with red eyes and a scraggly, termite-infested mane, scratching to relieve himself of the itching. He hears us approach and scoots angrily over to us, trying still to get rid of the termites.

"There you are you little termites. Where have you been all day, mother was going to be so mad at me if you didn't show up sooner," he scold.

"We were playing near the log bridge, away from the crocodiles," I reply. Vitani then comes up.

"And we caught this mouse on the way for dinner. And if anything, mother was going to be mad at you. You were supposed to be watching us," Vitani says through a mouthful of mouse. Nuka just sneers at us.

Oh whatever 'Tani. If I were the chosen one, instead of Kovu, I wouldn't have to babysit you twerps, and I should cause I'm the oldest. I'm the strongest. I'm the smartest... oh these termites," he yelled, before scratching his back on a dead tree and began biting and scratching himself to rid the termites crawling on him. Vitani and I smiled and giggled at the scene he's making.

"I could be a leader, if she just gives me a chance," Nuka said as he scooted around on his butt.

"Pfft, yeah right. Why don't you tell her that," Vitani replied. Nuka turned to look at her.

"Yeah, don't think I won't," he responded.

"Oh yeah, here's your chance," Vitani answered. We all turned to our right to see mother coming up to us, looking very upset.

"What, oh mother! Mother! Hi," Nuka said as he bounded up to her. He jumped and perched on a low rock beside her. "Hey mother, I caught some field mice for your dinner. I left them by the...," he trailed off as mother ignored him and walked straight past him. She looked really mad right now and when mother is mad, nobody's safe from her wrath.

"Hello Mother. How was your day? Did you catch anything in the Pridelands" Vitani asked, hoping to see what's ticking mother off. Mother sighed and turned to us.

"Well, I had a nice, suitable antelope right in my grasp until that infernal lion that calls himself a king showed up and he and his mate and lionesses drove me off. So now we have no dinner," she seethed. I believe the mouse we caught will come in handy to lessen mom's anger. I took it from Vitani and presented it to her.

"Here mother. Vitani and I caught it while Nuka babysat us over near the dead trees over there," I fibbed, but still, the part of the mouse being caught by Vitani and me is true. Mother looked at the mouse we caught and gave us a toothy smile.

"Why thank you my dears. What excellent hunters you are becoming. You can have it. I am not very hungry anyways," she replied and pushed the mouse back to us with her muzzle. She then stood up and moved next to a termite mound.

"I am sure that you will both excel in hunting bigger prey once we are out of these dry, barren, disgusting, pathetic, termite-infested Outlands," she yelled as she clawed at the mounds, sending several winged termites out of their nest. Nuka ducked as the insects flew above him. Mother panted before turning back to us again, her rage from the rant disappearing under a mask of calmness.

"Now c'mon my darlings. It's time for bed," she said as she headed into the entrance to den in the termite mounds. Nuka snorted and started to follow her. Before he left though, we stopped him. He looked down towards us and sneered.

"What do you two termites want," he asked bitterly. I still have the mouse in my mouth and I look at Vitani. She nodded at me. I placed the small, skinny mouse at Nuka's paws.

"We wanted you to have the mouse" I answered. Nuka stared at us confusingly before finally patting my head slightly hard and taking the mouse from us.

"Humph, you're still termites ya twerps," he said, before going into the den with the thin rodent in his jaws, leaving Vitani and I all alone outside as the sun sets down over the horizon. Vitani then nudges me.

"Hey, did you enjoy today," she asked me. I nod in reply.

"Yeah, that Kiara girl is really nice, even if her father is Simba," I responded, my eyes going downcast at the end.

"Yes, I think we're all going to be great friends from now on," she said, trying to cheer me up. It works as I perk up a bit at the idea of having someone to play with and not train all day.

"Uh huh. I think it's going to be really fun with a friend like Kiara around," I reply. Vitani nods again and looks up at the flame-colored sky.

"Yep and maybe I'll finally have the sister I've always wanted," she says, smirking at me. I frown at her.

"Why do you want a sister when you have me and Nuka as brothers," I ask. Vitani gave an evil grin before blowing a raspberry at me, tapping my nose, and saying "You're it," before running away. I narrow my eyes as she runs away laughing. _"Oh it's on, 'Tani,"_ I think and pursue after her.

We play like this for a couple minutes, often transferring from tag to tickle fighting and back to tag again. Who knew it could be so much fun? I want to play forever, but Nuka then sticks his head out of the den and says "Hey twerps, bedtime. Den, now!"

We both stop our games and obediently head back into the den. We make our way past Nuka, mother, and the Outsiders and head towards our usual spot. My spot is a stump with a bowl-like middle and Vitani's is right next to me. We get comfy in our beds and curl up for the night.

"Goodnight Kovu," Vitani whispers before falling asleep.

"Goodnight 'Tani," I whisper back, getting a tired feeling over me. I close my sleepy eyes and fall into slumber, but not right before I have one last thought,

_"Goodnight Kiara."_

* * *

_Epilogue_

_Kiara's friendship with Vitani and Kovu blossomed forth over the years. They all became good friends and that friendship extended over the years. When Kovu was told to kill Simba, and Vitani was told to attack by her mother, both refused. There friendship bounded them together and prevented them from causing harm from one another._

_In the end, Vitani was made a Pridelander with the rest of the Outsiders and Kovu married Kiara, thereby becoming king of Pride Rock, just like his mother wanted. And they were all happy. _

_After all, three's a charm._

* * *

**I like the way I ended this. I always liked the thought of seeing Kiara and Vitani as sisters. I tried to include some of the original movie's scenes, such as the crocodile's scene and Simba confronting Zira. It did happen, just Zira did not have Kovu with her. I believe that the real reason Zira was in the Pridelands during that scene was because she was out hunting beyond there borders for food. But when she saw Kovu with Kiara, she intervened when Simba arrived.**

**I hope you liked this. I had it in my suggestion box for quite awhile now. Please review, like, or favorite. If there are any errors in my stories, please point them out in your reviews. I appreciate it. Sincerely, v.t.7**


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